I pay for Costco's $120 executive membership even though I only shop for 2. Here are some of my favorite things to get for breakfast. (2024)

FAQs

Is the $120 Costco membership worth it? ›

At first, you might think that it's silly to pay double for a Costco membership. But you should know that the Executive membership gives you 2% cash back on your Costco purchases. So if you do enough shopping, the Executive membership makes sense.

If you typically spend more than $3,000 a year on Costco purchases, or if you anticipate spending more than $3,000, then you should keep or upgrade to an Executive membership.

In the U.S., Rewards are not calculated: (i) on purchases of cigarettes or tobacco-related products, gasoline, Costco Cash Cards, postage stamps, alcoholic beverages in certain states (including Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee), and at food courts; (ii) on membership fees; (iii) on ...

We just learned that $3,000 in annual Costco spending is your break-even point when considering an Executive membership upgrade. But if you're planning to book a vacation this year through Costco Travel, then you might easily cross the $3,000 threshold with that purchase alone.

Filling up at Costco could be much easier on your wallet. There's much to be gained by getting a Costco membership when you're older. Unfortunately, though, Costco doesn't offer senior discounts. You'll need to prepare to pay $60 for a basic membership or $120 for an Executive membership.

It pays to be a Costco Executive Member: Executive Members earn an annual 2% Reward on qualifying purchases at Costco, Costco.com, and Costco Travel. Plus, additional benefits are available on our suite of Costco Services.

Gas purchases, for example, do not earn you cash back as an Executive member. Neither do cigarette purchases or alcoholic beverage purchases in certain states. Additionally, Costco Shop Cards (Costco's version of a gift card) won't be eligible for cash back, and neither will postage stamps.

You no longer get early access to stores. There was a point in time many years ago when a Costco Executive membership gave you early access to your local warehouse club store. Not anymore.

*To receive a Digital Costco Shop Card, you must provide a valid email address and set up auto-renewal of your Costco Executive Membership on a Visa card at the time of sign-up. If you elect not to enroll in auto-renewal at the time of sign-up, the Digital Costco Shop Card will not be emailed.

Here's how to snag the deal: Purchase your Costco membership through StackSocial, and make sure you provide a valid email address. Within two weeks, you'll receive your $20 Digital Costco Shop Card via email. Once you receive the digital shop card, you can use it to make Costco purchases online or in person.

What are three perks of Costco Executive membership? ›

If you're the Primary Member or Account Manager, you can assign your free household card to one other person in your home. That way they'll also get the benefits of a Costco membership. To add someone, sign in and head to Account Details in your Costco.com Account.

The cash back you earn will cover the added cost of the membership upgrade. If you spend more than $3,000, your membership would more than pay for itself. Say, for example, you spent $6,000 over the course of the year at Costco. You'd get $120 back and Costco would have paid you $60 for choosing the upgrade.

To receive a refund for the current Executive upgrade fee, the membership must be canceled or downgraded to a Gold Star or Business Membership. Any 2% Reward issued or accrued will be subtracted from the refund and forfeited to the extent it exceeds the amount of any refund.

A basic Costco membership costs $60, while an Executive membership costs $120. An Executive membership gives you 2% cash back on your Costco purchases. Think about how often you plan to shop at Costco, but also consider large purchases that may be on your radar.

If you fill up your car with gas at Costco once or twice a month, the gas savings alone would cover the cost of your membership fee. But if you don't live close to a Costco and don't go often, or can't find anything you want to buy when you get there, then you may not end up with $60 in savings.

Costco's Gold Star membership costs $60 annually, while its Executive membership costs $120. The Gold Star membership is your better option if you don't spend a lot of money at the warehouse club.

Say, for example, you make $2,500 worth of purchases per year at Costco.com. If you weren't a member, the 5% charge on your $2,500 would cost you $125 a year -- more than double the $60 membership fee you'd have to pay to avoid it. Becoming a member in this situation is an easy personal finance decision.

However, with the cheapest Costco membership costing $60 a year, it may not be worth it if you don't plan to shop at Costco often or use its services, and if buying in bulk isn't practical for your living situation.